Not used to
by Ldinka
Summary: Tim and Miami sun.


**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Beta:  **Kasandra

**Not Used To**

He had been sitting at his microscope, examining the samples he'd gathered at the mass grave at the start of his shift. And now his shiftwas coming to an end, but he couldn't yet make the head or tail of the samples. He wondered if it were possible for him to fuse together with the microscope with the way he'd been attached to it for the past eight hours. He thoughtfully scratched his forearm and immediately twisted his mouth because of the pain. He had lived in Miami for a long time, but still wasn't used to the Miami sun.

Of course, there were hot days in New York, but they had nothing in comparison to Miami's. It was only the beginning of the Miami summer but he had already got a bad sunburn. What's the problem? – you would ask.Though he knew the dangers of the sun Tim always had a problem with sunscreen – the daily task of sloughing it on annoyed him to no end.

Two more hours of disappointment and Speedle gave up and decided to that a cup of coffee in the break room sounded well. His break was momentarily short lived as he was interrupted by Office Strakes.

"How can I help you?" - asked Speed.

"You see sir, we've got an emergency...," - replied the officer, - "A car was found at everglades…it was fired upon heavily. A female body was found not far from the scene. According to the victim's sister, there also had been a six-year-old girl with her. All the forces are set out in search and an Amber Alert has been placed. The rest of your team is already there".

"Good. Can you give me a lift? – sighed Speed. A missing girl in the everglades was never a good sign. When they came to the crime scene the sun beating down more than ever; Speed wished he wore something with long sleeves. He was quickly acquainted with the facts.

He nodded in Eric's direction.

"Speed, you look like you've been burnt to a crisp. Have you _even _had any sleep?" - Eric commented on his partner's appearance.

"Thanks. You look perfectly well too." Tim replied sarcastically. "What have we got?"

"The car was riding on the road, when it was ambushed. Someone started the shouting. According to the footprints left, it was a man who probably used machine gun. The car was found in a ditch and apparently the woman grabbed the girl and ran to the bushes where they were followed by the gunman. At about a ten-yard distance from the car he ran down the woman and shot her right in the back. The girl escaped. Trace stops there. We found tire marks down the road. The gunman drove away."

"Did he find and take the girl with him?" Speedle questioned.

"Don't know." Eric replied. "Maybe he thought that alligators would finish the business."

"Dogs?" Tim probed further.

"Haven't found anything yet,"- Eric replied, frustrated.

"And we are doing… what exactly?" Speed questioned once more.

"Calleigh and I examinedthe car. You, H and the night shiftwill continue tolook for traces." Eric said matter of factly.

Tim nodded. "Got it"

It was late afternoon. Though more of the girl's footprints were found, the team was at a dead end. Speed was exhausted. He squatted down to look on something closely and then got up abruptly; everything went dark before his eyes. He closed his eyes in a moment of rest and he was back to normal. His arms and neck were burning. The bright light of the sun hurt Tim's eyes in spite of the sunglasses he wore. Speed saw some uniformed men not far from him. There was Horatio bending down over something in the distance.

'How can he stand the heat?' Speed thought, enviously. At that moment he saw something dirty and yellow in the grass. Coming closer he realized it was a doll wearing yellow dress. He squatted down and tried to suppress the nausea as blood drained from his face. 'Are we too late?' - Speed thought jumping up harshly calling his boss, "H!" Again, the familiar buzzing in his ears and darkness before his eyes returned. This time, however, it didn't leave but consumed Speed.

The nearest policeman turned around on hearing the young man's shout and saw him falling on the ground. Rushing to the CSI, he found him lying unconscious. Speed's skin was red, dry and hot to the touch.

Horatio was staring at small grey parts he had found when he heard Speed's shout. Marking the place in order to find it later, Horatio looked around to see the spot where Speed was supposed to be standing. Instead, he saw a fellow officer bent over a body. Horatio ran towards them to find there his junior officer deeply unconscious. Then he saw a doll next to Speedle. 'That was the reason he called me,' - guessed Horatio.

Stretchers appeared and Speed was carried away to the road where the ambulance was located. Horatio stayed behind to examine the doll. The dogs were brought over to get obtain the scent and they got on the trail immediately. In half an hour they reached the edge of the water banks and Horatio expected the worse. Then they saw the track of a boat on the bank. It seemed as if the girl was found by fishermen or perhaps, tourists. Horatio inspected the area carefully, but found nothing, so he went to the assembly point.

Calleigh and Eric were crawling around the perforated car collecting the evidence when a fuss attracted their attention. Calleigh ran over thinking the girl was found. Eric's heart ached as he saw someone familiar be carried on the stretcher. It was Speed.

The paramedic examined Speedle. He checked his blood pressure and the pupils. Speedle's pressure was high, and his pupils were contracted. Tim's t-shirt was taken off in efforts to quickly bring down his temperature. The paramedics also putcold compresses along his head, neck and armpits. Speed started trembling as if he was cold. Finally he regained consciousness. He looked confused and a little bit embarrassed.

"What the…" - he mumbled and tried to get up.

"Lie still, sir. You've passed out due a case of sunstroke." The paramedic held out a bottle of water. "Here, take that – you're dehydrated," he ordered. "Did anyone see how he fell down?"

"I did" the policeman said. "He fell onto his back."

"Let me look at you head and back. You could be injured," the paramedic told Tim who could not understand what was happening. He completely forgot what he was doing at everglades. The last thing he remembered was a pile of samples he had examined in the lab unsuccessfully. The paramedic looked over Speedle's head and settled his neck. As the doors of the ambulance car closed and drove away, Calleigh and Eric exchanged glances and returned to the evidence.

**Later on the evening… **

In the waiting room, the entire day shift team gathered waiting for the doctor. When he appeared, four alarmed pairs of eyes looked at him in expectation of diagnosis.

"Everything will be all right," the doctor hurried to calm them down. "Just the natural outcome of overwork, stress and overheating. He isn't a native, is he? He should rest for couple of days before he can work again. Just make sure he doesn't overdo it for at least for one week. Make sure that he covers his head and spend less time in the sun. He needs more liquid but no tea or coffee. He has got a heavy sunburn, so high temperature and slight indisposition are possible. Aspirin and burn ointment will help."

"Thank you, doctor. Can we see him?" – Alexx asked.

"In a few hours, he is resting now," the doctor replied.

**Three days later back at CSI...**

"Good morning, sugar." Alexx greeted Tim. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Tim replied with a small smile. He was thankful for her concern.

"Good, come up to me later, I want to show you something." Alexx replied. Tim nodded.

They were interrupted by Eric who entered the breakroom. "Oh, look whose here. How is your head, sleeping beauty?"

Speed was about to give Eric a worthy answer but Calleigh appeared before he could open his mouth. "Hi Speed! Everybody, Horatio wants to see us. Criminals apparently cannot rest. And by the way, Tim, this is for you." Calleigh replied, handing him over a box.

Tim looked at the box. "What's this?"

Calleigh gave him a smile. "Without what you won't be allowed to do field-work."

Speed looked in the packet and found a bottle of SPF 45 and a CSI baseballcap.


End file.
